A busy sideman, pianist Gerald Clayton is the keystone
talent supporting the alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius on his third album,
Maybe Steps,” along with a quintet that includes bassist Peter Slavov, drummer
Kendrick Scott and guitarist Miles Okazaki. The Julliard trained Cornelius
leads his quintet on nine originals and three lovely covers. The originals
provide the winning moments, from the effusive title tune to the Ravel inspired
“Bella’s Dreaming” and the expressive lyricism of “Brother Gabriel.” This is a great
showcase for Cornelius’s impressive compositions – his tunes are complex yet
accessible and uniquely melodic. Clayton, Slavov and Scott (a formidable
drummer with a strong new album, “Oracle”) form a grand rhythm section and underscore
Cornelius’s lively tunes with verve (“Shiver Song.”) Clayton pairs well with
Cornelius, effusively comping behind the saxophonist and he bundles his solos
with great post-bop ideas. Cornelius’s influences may include Coltrane, Parker
and Rollins, but he’s definitely got his own thing going on with “Maybe Steps.”
This is a confident and assured statement, and it’s an album of hip twists and
solos (“A Day Like Any Other”) thanks to a special band of musicians and their
gifted leader. (11 tracks; 56:09 minutes) www.posi-tone.com